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The weekend started out with a lot of rain in the Mid Atlantic on Friday, but at least we knew we wouldn’t get blown out like last year. However, while the wind forecast for Saturday looked pretty good, it promised to be very light on Sunday. There are two conditions that always remind me of the Frigid Digit: Cool, wet, foggy Nor ‘easter-like and bright, brisk, cool northewester after a cold front-like. Both are tricky conditions to sail in with different challenges. This year’s event was no different with the Nor ‘Easter-like version for Saturday.

We delayed on shore for an hour on Saturday morning as the radar map showed a very larger red line heading from the south. Luckily it was just a lot of rain and as soon it passed the 12 (of 16 that registered) set out in 10-15 knots from the Northeast. Unfortunately a number of local sailors all had prior commitments this weekend which kept the turnout a little low. Three windward/leeward (5 leg) races were run by PRO Mark Hasslinger and his crew. According to Carol Cronin, in most beats, staying left until the end of the beat even though your gut told you not to and despite some right shifts, proved to be a winning strategy. It certainly worked for her and Kim Couranz as they jumped out to a good lead by the first weather mark in all three races and easily hung on to the leads even with Kim’s unscheduled “potty break” into the bay (untied hiking strap) in race 2. Behind, the shifts were causing frequent position changes between Lee Griffith/Nikki Bruno, Zach Kelchner/Miranda Bakos, Brett Davis/Ashley Love, Gavin/Holly O’Hare, Lisa Pline/Jessica Bennett and Alex Pline/Jill Bennett. In the end Lee/Nikki edged out Alex/Jill for 2nd by a point. One of the nice things about these conditions is the powerboats and the associated Annapolis “washing machine” were nowhere to be seen.

Squeaking out a 4th in a close finish in the 3rd race.

We headed back to SSA about 4 pm as the breeze was getting pretty light and the fog and mist was hiding downtown. A nice taco bar was served and the warmth of the clubhouse was much appreciated by the competitors. Afterwards Steve and Sonya Pickel suggested we continue on at the Boatyard Bar and Grill, which a number of us jumped on without any arm twisting. I think we all deep down suspected the chances for any racing on Sunday were slim, so what the heck, might as well continue socializing at one of Annapolis’ fun spots. There were rumors of even a third act over at Davis’ Pub, but too late for this Snipe sailor !

Sunday brought continued light breezes again from the northeast, with cloudy but dry skies. Most of the fleet was late to the starting area as it was a bit farther out than usual, so the start was postponed for about a half hour. Once the race finally got underway, right on schedule the bottom of the breeze fell out quickly about half way up the first beat when the sun poked out from behind the clouds. After 10 minutes of just a few zephyrs, the committee wisely abandoned the race. Even without the postponement is was unlikely the race would have made a complete lap of the course before the wind died. We milled around for another 45 minutes just to confirm everyone suspicions, but it was just not to be so everyone was towed in. At least the sun came out as we were packing up and socializing. In addition to the top three overall, Steve Jahnige/Ryan Jahnige, relatively new Snipe sailors were the top placing boat in the silver fleet. A big thanks to regatta chair Doug Frazee for putting this year’s event together and to Carol Cronin, Andy Klein/Jessica Claflin and Jim Tomassetti/Simon Strauss who braved the dreaded I-95 from north of NY to get to Annapolis.

Note my finest hour sailing-wise, but I had a great time sailing with Lisa – despite being DSQed in a race for not doing my penalty turns fast enough after getting flagged for pumping.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Doug Hart Back On Top After 20 Years

Doug Hart has always been near the top of the score sheet but it took 20 years to repeat as North American Champion, having won last in the Bahamas in 1996. Sailing this year with Ryan Hopps they took the 2016 North Americans Birney Mills Trophy by a scant two points over George Szabo and Dianna Waterbury after a close last day. The winner was not known by the competitors until the scores were posted at the club because the variety of conditions over the three day regatta resulted in very inconsistent scores over the eight races sailed. In an unusual turn, the scores posted by Szabo/Waterbury were overall more consistent, but Hart/Hopps despite counting a 17 had four top 3 finishes. Nick Voss/Nicole Popp had been lurking well down the results sheet, but once they were able to drop a 45th from day one, they slid up to third overall. Fourth place team Jensen McTighe/Brendan Feeney counted no finish worse than ninth, a great result just ahead of their departure for the Snipe Western Hemispheres in Brazil. Edgar Diminich/Iberth Constante rounded out the top 5.

Upwind on the Chesapeake Bay.

Annapolis Snipe Fleet 532 is experiencing its own comeback. Regatta Chairman and Annapolis Fleet 532 Captain Chris Ryan is a relentless promoter of the Snipe Class and had as a goal to get together the largest collection of Snipes seen on the East Coast for a long time. He succeeded attracting 69 registrants and beat the last two NAs held in Annapolis in 1994 (62 boats) and 1985 (68 boats) as well as being the largest regatta in North America since 2009 with boats arriving on single, double, and triple trailers from all over the continent. This was in part due to encouraging sailors with older model boats to participate with a Silver division and arranging many chartered or borrowed boats to insure that every available local boat would make it on the water. A great sign for the continued growth of the class were a significant number of junior sailors at the event, fresh faces from new teams or new crew members, and a re-emergence of less travelled class members. The event created a significant number of class membership renewals as part of the registration process as all skippers, crews, and boats were registered for the event.

Chris along with the rest of the fleet volunteers, the Severn Sailing Association (SSA), PRO Steve Podlich and his handpicked race committee put together a great event despite tryingly light conditions at the beginning of the regatta. Annapolis typically holds this regatta in the fall when the breeze is freshening as the temperatures drop, but for this edition the NAs was held concurrently with the Colonial Cup, the annual SSA Snipe Spring Invitational. In keeping with the nutty weather the mid-Atlantic has been experiencing this year – the spring felt more like Seattle than Annapolis – with less than a week to go, the forecast was for light easterly breezes and cooler temperatures throughout the weekend. For those who don’t know the Chesapeake Bay weather, easterly breezes coupled with cool overcast conditions are almost never a good prognosis.

As boats streamed in on Thursday, fleet members Brett Davis, Steve Pickle and Jon and Happy Anthony with their teams got all boats through measurement and registration. The class approach to streamlining measurement helped speed the process by limiting measurement to boat weight and new sail measurements. It was hoped to run a practice race Thursday afternoon, but the breeze completely turned off after a few boats left the dock for a practice sail: a bad omen. On the social side, the regatta saw the return of a large tent to be used for evening dinners as well as a real beer truck (well trailer, but close enough!), something not seen on the SSA lot for some years: a good omen.

Friday morning started as predicted with a light, but sailable easterly and racing began promptly at 11am. Fortunately, being a weekday the pleasure boat traffic was nonexistent so the 5-7 knot breeze, although tricky, was enough. Starts were very competitive causing multiple recalls and a steady appearance of I and Z flags. The downstream current at the start pushing competitors towards the starting line did not help and contributed to the number of general recalls and affected which side of the course was favored. As the first race progressed the breeze got lighter and lighter, but still a fair test of skill and the first boat finished within several minutes of the 90 minute time limit, but unfortunately a number of boats did not make the time limit window. After a pause, the wind came back up and a second race was run in similar conditions, with only a few boats not making the time limit window. Hart/Hopps showed their light air prowess with two firsts. Eventually Steve Podlich called it a day and the fleet headed in for the evening’s social activities and Taco Bar dinner.

On Saturday, a very patient race committee ran three races. The first was (as expected) sailed in a very light southeast wind. The ebbing current was wreaking even more havoc on the starting line than the day before and the Z flag (20%) penalties figured prominently on the scoresheet for race 3. It looked like it might be the end of the day after race three with the breeze going down to nearly zero, but wisely Steve Podlich chose to keep us out waiting and eventually the breeze came around to a southerly direction and increased slightly when the clouds began to clear. With the current abated and the wind shift to the south, the second two starts were much more manageable for the competitors (and the race committee) and even got crews and skippers into the hiking straps by the last leg. With more consistent scores and no drop (yet) Szabo/Waterbury finished the day tied with Hart/Hopps. Back on shore the competitors participated in a post-race debrief followed by a crab-themed dinner including MD hard shelled crabs. The “locals” had a lot of fun introducing “out of towners” to the proper technique for “picking crabs” as it is called.

Once again, Sunday started light with current pushing competitors over the line, the appearance of the Z flag, multiple recalls and a lot of alphabet soup on the score sheet in race 6. But for race 7 the breeze finally increased out the south to the point where skipper and crews were full out hiking and the “Annapolis Washing Machine” was on – at least the medium rinse setting anyway – thanks to the Chesapeake chop and pleasure boat wake. This was the quintessential Annapolis condition that we all know and love and it was great to finally see it given the earlier forecast. Despite the breeze beginning to fade, after race 7 the race committee “leap frogged” the course to start the last race with plenty of time to spare. It was a shorter course, a little less than an hour race to close out the 8 race series, a pleasant surprise the way it looked on Thursday. The fleet blasted in as the breeze increased with the impending approach of a cold front, but thankfully the predicted thunderstorms didn’t materialize until after most competitors had packed up.

In addition to the awarding the Birney Mills Trophy to the North American champion, the Kim Thompson Trophy for the top crew and the Colonial Cup Trophy to Hart and Hopps, awards were presented to Fleet 532 members Joe Hidalgo/Ethan Schroud for the Silver division and Jensen McTighe/Brenden Feeney for the Junior division, both scored separately within those divisions. The Chuck Loomis Trophy was also awarded to Jensen McTighe as the top placing Junior in the overall score.

This was definitely not a “one setting” regatta and being able to perform consistently in the top three in a wide variety of conditions was the key to success. Variety may be the spice of life, but it is also a great test of skill.

I wrote this originally for the 2003 Snipe Nationals, probably one of my most favorite Snipe events ever, but it will always be true so thought it was worth archiving here. You can see it as well as the archived site on the Wayback Machine.

Well, How did we get here?

Picture a scene that might happen at virtually any Snipe regatta: standing in a bar, after a great day of sailing and talking about our favorite places to sail. In our case, the bar was in Newport, RI, where a bunch of District One sailors had gathered for a regatta. The instigators were Barb Evans, Pedro Lorson, and me. We all decided that Buzzards Bay was without a doubt one of the best sailing venues around with its perfect summer temperatures and renown steady breeze, the “Buzzards Bay Sou’wester. We had all sailed there at various points in our lives. I grew up sailing at the Beverly Yacht Club. Pedro and I are Tabor Academy Alumni (an amusing story in itself), and Barb lived on the bay during the summer of 1990.

Since District One’s turn at hosting the Snipe Nationals was looming in the future, eventually the conversation morphed, as they do around at a bar with significant “beer pressure,” to places that would make for a good nationals and we thought, ah hah! forget the light air and hot stinky temperatures of the Chesapeake in July, we ought to do it in Marion. We schemed about it some more and stumbled on to other topics. A couple of months later when the Newport fleet had to withdraw their bid, Barb brought up the idea again, and we all responded in unison, if you’re the regatta chair, we’ll see if we can make it happen. Barb, being the “go to” person she is, said, you’re on! Upon hearing the idea, a lot of people became interested and volunteered to help, so we decided to take the next step. I mentioned the idea to my father, a long time member of the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion if he thought the club would be interested in hosting the event. He talked to several club officials and from here the ball was irreversibly started rolling! The final outcome is that Barb and Graham Quinn have put together a fantastic team of BYC Members and District 1 Snipers to bring what promises to be both a great sailing event AND a great social event. The essence of “Serious Sailing, Serious Fun”®

At about 7 years old, the author concentrating intently at the helm of the family Bullseye.

In promoting the event we needed a “local” to write an article about the real sailing conditions that can be expected in order to support the legend of the Sou’wester. Having grown up sailing in Marion, first in Cape Cod Bullseyes with my father at the BYC and then Lasers as a high school student, I offered to describe my experiences, since I’m the closest thing to a local Sniper we’ve got. So what can we expect for the Keane 2003 Snipe US National Championships?

The Sou’wester

My experience from growing up in the area is that it blows 18 knots from the SW every day starting about 12 noon. The weekend races at the BYC generally don’t start until early afternoon when the breeze is rock solid. This was so engrained in my head that when I started sailing Snipes in Ohio, on Lake Erie and regional inland lakes, I had a really hard time understanding what this wind shift stuff was, exclaiming one day after having my butt handed to me on a plate “What do you mean the wind oscillates 30 degrees, it’s supposed to blow from the southwest!” So much for not getting out much… which brings up an associated lesson: sail in as many different places as you can!

Histogram of Wind Direction, showing the percentage of the time the wind blows from a certain direction.

The sou’wester in Buzzards Bay is a thermally driven breeze, or “sea breeze”, due to the surrounding horseshoe shape land masses that draw breeze directly up the bay roughly from the southwest to the northeast. In deciding to write about the conditions, I thought it was important to get some actual data to support my experiences. After all, I was a rocket scientist in a former life. The best source of this kind of data is from NOAA’s National Bouy Data Center instruments on the Buzzards Bay Light Tower (BUZM3) located about 17 miles from the race course at the mouth of the bay. I wanted to get some statistical data on what the breeze will do during the summer months that typically produce the sou’wester and during the time of day that we are likely to be sailing. To that end, I looked at five years worth of data from July and August between 11 am and 5 pm to see what the most likely breeze direction, strength and gusts were. Lo and behold, a histogram of the wind direction, essentially a distribution of wind directions and the associated percentage chance they will occur, shows that the most frequent direction is in fact 220 degrees. These are true bearings, so add about 13 degrees to get magnetic bearing or what you will see on your compass. It’s clear from the histogram that the predominant breeze (about 60% of the time) is between 200-240 degrees, illustrated by the large peak around 220. The small peak around 40 degrees represents the kind of shifty northeasterly breeze that might occur after the passing of a cold front. These do occur during the summer but in general are short lived, lasting only a day or so, before the sou’wester returns.

As for wind speed, the great thing about the sou’wester is that it is strong and steady, but not too strong. The breeze is generally in the middle teens with gusts and lulls of +/- 3 knots. The same kind of histograms of continuous wind speeds and gusts show this nicely. We’re most likely to see steady breeze in the 12-18 knot range with breeze very rarely over the class limit of 25 knots. These statistics bode well for not loosing any racing days due to too much or too little wind.

Histograms of Wind Speed (Continuous and Gusts), showing the percentage of the time the wind blows at a certain speed.

A typical looking Sou’wester day.

The development of this breeze is quite regular and the direction as it builds does not vary much, i.e. there is no persistent shift as it builds. This makes sense as the breeze just builds quickly and “comes in” directly up the bay. The tell tale signs of the sou’wester are the stereotypical cumulous clouds that form along the shore.

OK, so the breeze is steady, that means a premium on boat speed. However there is still some local knowledge that comes in to play depending on where the course is set. For a course that is set in what’s called the outer harbor, the area between Butler and Converse Points (where the “Wells Circle” is drawn), the right side of the course is almost always favored for several reasons. The breeze coming off the right shore tends to have slight “righties” in it and is generally flatter water. This is a more likely place for a Wells course (if there are separate courses). View a chart of the area. For reference, the course circles are just under a mile in diameter. The farther out into the bay the course, the less I would emphasize the right side.

Waves and Current

Buzzards Bay is similar to the Chesapeake bay around Annapolis in that it is relatively shallow. The average depth ranges from 15-25 feet deep meaning that breezes into the teens will produce a shorter, steeper chop, similar to what we experience in Annapolis. At least there is not the compounding powerboat chop!

The current can also be more significant on the right side of the course. According to the Eldridge Tide and Pilot book current charts, the current in and out of Sippican Harbor can be as much as 0.5 knots at full flood and the maximum current path tends to hug the western shore, or the right side of the course.

Based on this data and people’s own experiences sailing in the area, this venue will suit the majority of Snipe sailors. There will be good hiking breezes, neither the “full on” conditions that were, at least in the lore, at Cascade Locks nor the crazy lake sailing typical of the inland lakes. This coupled with the hospitality and charm of the Beverly Yacht Club and the support provided by Keane, Inc. will insure that we have a “Serious Sailing, Serious Fun”® event.

Alex and Lisa say: “We were a fission of two separate Snipe circles and still maintain our own “identities” in the class so we have answered separately, just the way we roll!”

1) Your first time in a sailing boat?

Lisa: Although I was too young to remember, my first ride in a sailboat would have been on a Butterfly (12′ scow) on Lake Lotawana, MO. I do remember crewing in a “double handed” nationals at age 4 in a terrifying stormy race and skippering on my own at age 6.

Alex: When my parents moved to Massachusetts when I was 2, my father bought a Bullseye, a 12’ local keelboat (after having had a wooden snipe a number of years earlier). I don’t remember it, but that summer they took my sister and me sailing a number of times and tell the story of our sleeping the whole time under the cuddy cabin.

2) Your first time in a Snipe?

Lisa: Bermuda Race Week 1986. I had met James Jacobs Laser sailing on the Potomac a few weeks earlier when I get a call: “I need a crew for Bermuda Race Week. It’s as important to win the party as winning the race. You have 24 hours to decide. Click.” Now THAT’S an introduction to Snipe Sailing! No place/event on earth personified “Serious Sailing, Serious Fun” as much as Bermuda Race Week did.

Alex: It was in Cleveland in 1988 when Bill Buckles let me try the boat. There was no wind, but on an impulse I bought the boat when Bill said if you buy it, I’ll take it to Florida for this new regatta they are starting up (the first annual Dead of Winter); you just show up and sail. How could I refuse? It was a done deal!

3) The most bizarre thing that happened in a regatta?

Lisa: 1996 Women’s World in Spain: Sherry Eldridge and I were in position to win the regatta in the last race – all we had to do was maintain the 2nd place we had approaching the finish, when we tacked to cover and the rig “flopped”. Luckily it was light enough air that in the 5 seconds it took me to realize that the weather shroud was no longer attached at the deck. We were able to tack back over without the rig breaking and limp across the line, but lost the places needed to win the regatta. Nothing had broken. The pin had just come undone. Bizarre. Or possibly the worst luck ever!

Alex: Not really bizarre, but scary was the 1996 Midwinters in Clearwater, the year of the “big blow”. After the second triangle, going by a number of people capsized thinking we are on the edge of control, we went around the leeward mark with he main and jib ragging and barely able to control the boat. We were the last boat standing I looked at Lisa and said this is not worth it for 11th place so we took the main down and planed in under just the jib. We had to jibe in the channel, a notoriously sketchy spot and was anticipating a problem, but since the main was down, it might have been the smoothest jibe we had ever done.

4) What is the thing that angers you most in a race/regatta?

Lisa: If I’m angry at a regatta, I need to find a new way to spend my leisure time.

Alex: Drama queens. This sport is supposed to be fun and when people just won’t let something go or use issues for some personal gain it makes life very unpleasant. Sure there are things that make us upset, but have a drink , make a joke and get on with life. Otherwise, it’s too much like work and who needs that? See life lessons learned in #6.

5) Which is the race/regatta you remember with the most pleasure?

Lisa: There are so many, it is hard to choose! Any one of the Bermuda Race Weeks (1992 when I met Alex, 1993 when Alex proposed, 1997 when we sailed won with me being 4 months pregnant, giving our new Snipe the name “Hike Like A Mother”); any Winter Circuit… basically any regatta in the late 1980’s/early 90’s. Lordy, the Snipe Fleet knew how to throw events back in the day!

Alex: Definitely it was Bermuda Race Week 1997 when Lisa and I won with her being pregnant with Lexi. With a different crew it was the 1999 NAs in Boston where Sherry Eldridge and I finished 5th and qualified for the Westerns in Rosario Argentina.

6) And the race/regatta you would like to forget?

Lisa: The one in Atlanta where that god-awful picture of me crewing for Alex in righteous 80’s attire, dorky glasses, and goofy hat ended up on the cover of the Snipe Bulletin. I think I’m even holding the shroud. Please make it go away!

Alex: Haha, Lisa keeps complaining about my posting that picture on Facebook. For me, it was the Columbus (Ohio) Open in 1994. Typical light air lake regatta and were winning going into the last race when I made the tactical mistake of squeezing out someone at the start (not naming names) who returned the favor at a weather mark later in the race intentionally pushing us back to the middle of the fleet. Going up the last beat, I knew it was lost and as Lisa tells the story, she could see the top of my head starting to blow off, so she grabbed me by the ears and said “Don’t be a dick!” Advice that has served me well for the last 20 years!

7) Your “dream in the peak” (your sailing dream)?

Lisa: My “dream in MY peak” would have been to win a Women’s Worlds (see #3), but my current dream would be to win a Women’s event sailing with Lexi. I think we might be the only Mother/Daughter team for the record books 🙂

Alex: I’d like to win a national level Snipe event, especially with Lexi. I think it would be cool for her to get her name on a trophy like the DonQ Rum Keg for posterity’s sake.

8) Sailing goals for 2015, and beyond?

Lisa: See #7, but more broadly getting back in the boat with Alex and encouraging Lexi to continue sailing in the class.

Alex: I’m just glad to be back sailing competitively with family and enjoying the Snipe community again. Like I said in my SnipeToday article, it really is like waking up from a long winter’s nap, and in that sense just being back is enough. Also not having any real results expectations makes doing reasonably well even more enjoyable. As Lisa always jokes, the key to happiness in life is low expectations. Not sure what that says about her marrying me though…

9) The most important people for you in sailing, and in the Snipe?

Lisa: Alex, of course, but also Peter Commette that he came back to the Snipe after “lapsed” years with back issues and family – certainly a role model for us. Also Old Man – how can I ever whine that I’m too old to hike when I see Old Man still with the energy for the Snipe on and off the water? Gotta also mention Phil Richmond here for recruiting me to skipper his boat (Phil crewed) when I was too young to be able to afford my own boat.

Alex: Lisa no doubt, but I also agree Peter’s return to the Snipe was inspiring and he was prescient about how enjoyable sailing with Lexi would be after relaying his experiences sailing with his daughters. Although never involved with Snipes, Bill Ragg with whom I sailed on his big boat in Cleveland, had a huge effect on me because he was the kindest and most loyal skipper anyone could ever imagine. A real class act.

10) Why the Snipe?

Lisa: By now it just feels like “home”, but originally the small boat, tactical, awesome people, awesome events is what snagged me out of college. What has lured us back are the friends that we have across the country that we look forward to re-connecting with.

Alex: I came into the Snipe on a whim from Lasers, but now that I am here, I could not imagine sailing any other boat (regularly anyway). While I am a bit of a gear head and certainly could enjoy a boat like the 505 from that perspective, I like the Snipe because there is just enough adjustability to make it interesting and challenging technically, but not overly complex where technical understanding is a key success factor; there are many people who are not technically inclined but do very well in the boat (I married one!). I think the heavier weight of the Snipe is a real plus for the class because it makes the boat much less sensitive to overall crew weight. These characteristics of the boat result in a very heterogeneous group of the people sailing it. This mix of people is one of the gems of the class that makes the social aspect so good. Also, after trying to be competitive in the cycling world where I didn’t pick my parents well enough, it’s nice to come back to a boat that physical ability is not the limiting factor. The Snipe is a quirky boat and having a lot of experience to know how to make it go can overcome a lot of brute force.

11) Your perfect sailing venue and your perfect conditions?

Lisa: My perfect conditions (8-10, light chop) would indicate Biscayne Bay or the Chesapeake, but best venue ever was Spanish Point Yacht Club. Two minutes to the race coarse, the most hypnotizing warm blue water, awesome bar/club to hang out… often too windy for my “ideal”, but no place was more perfect for a Snipe regatta.

Alex: Spanish Point Boat Club in Bermuda for all the reasons Lisa mentions, but I have to say this year’s DonQ was about as perfect as it gets. Leisurely, warm mornings and races after noon in 8-12 knots is about as good as it gets!

12) Besides sailing, what other sports do you practice?

Lisa: Walking. I subscribe to the motto: “No pain, no pain. What’s the problem?”

Alex: Competitive cycling.

13) Are you superstitious?

Lisa: Not at all!

Alex: NO!

14) Your perfect holiday?

Lisa: Bermuda Race Week where after your last race there were still 4 cocktail parties left!

Alex: Bermuda as Lisa mentions (that cocktail party quote is a Bill Buckles classic), but what would make it even more perfect is if the kids were there and either also sailing or hanging out and enjoying themselves with friends.

It’s funny how an occasional impulsive decision can end up having such a profound impact on the trajectory of one’s life. Buying my first Snipe from Bill Buckles in 1987 – the venerable purple Champipple – was one such decision. I used to sail with Bill on a Hawkeye, a Dubois 47 during the waning days of IOR racing in Cleveland. He used to disappear in March and April to sail some boat called a Snipe (he was one of the US builders at the time at Mueller Boat Company in Lorain OH) and always came back tan with great stories of fun sailing, daiquiris and mopeds in Bermuda. Having been away from small boats since going to college in Cleveland, I thought, what the heck, might be a good way to get back in, so I went for a short sail one day on Lake Erie in almost no wind and Bill said if you buy the boat, I’ll take it to Florida for this new regatta they are starting up (the first annual Dead of Winter); you just show up and sail. How could I refuse? It was a done deal!

Sailing in Great Sound Bermuda at International Race Week in 1993

For the next eight years or so, our little group in Cleveland including Terry McSweeney and a number of others sailed local Midwest regattas and started travelling south for the circuit for a number of years, often doing the master migration beginning with Halloween in Atlanta (October), Red Lobster Cup in Sanford (December), Dead of Winter in St. Pete (January), Midwinters in Clearwater/DonQ in Miami (March), International Race Week in Bermuda (May) with the boats finally coming back to the US in New Jersey for an east coast regatta. Along the way in those years I made a ton of US Snipe sailor friends and my Snipe sailing began to improve.

Then came Race Week in Bermuda in 1992. I arrived a day later than most people and when I walked into Spanish Point Boat Club Terry immediately came up to me, bought me a rum drink, pointed across the room and said I’ve got the girl for you. Well, he was right and to make a long story short, Lisa Foulke and I were engaged there 12 months later. Because we were living in separate cities (Annapolis and Cleveland), we sailed a lot of regattas together in the next year. As we traveled over the next few years, eventually settling together in Annapolis, we meshed our two Snipe circles together making even more new Snipe friends. In 1995 we upgraded to Hike Like a Mother a Perrson we picked up in Clearwater. We really hit our stride sailing together with some good results, switching off skippering for a number of years. In Women’s Worlds years Lisa steered, competing in 1994 in Japan (our honeymoon with Sherry Eldridge!), 1996 in Spain, 1998 in Annapolis, 2000 in Italy and 2002 in St. Pete. Also throw in a couple stints on the SCIRA board and some fun non-sailing travel around for meetings and the circle of Snipe friends grew even larger.

As you can tell from the double entendre boat name, along came Lexi and Ellie (we won Bermuda Race Week when Lisa was 5 months pregnant with Lexi). We sailed as best we could when they were young, but when they got a little older their lives drove the schedule. As Lisa always says, it was our turn before and it will be our turn later, but it’s their turn now. We did get a new JibeTech in 2006 but unfortunately, I hurt my back in the first regatta we sailed it in and couple that with the family priorities, the wind literally came out of our sails.

Fast forward 6 years through the usual junior sailing programs, a few local events and some less than successful attempts to get the kids interested in Snipe sailing, and along comes the awesome local High School sailing scene, which hooks Lexi into sailing like there is no tomorrow. Once the hook was set, Lisa and Lexi start sailing the Snipe together, and Lexi realizes that we actually know how to sail and that there is this really interesting, fun group of people of all ages that sail Snipes. Thanks to people like Peter Commette and the Diaz Family, who mentor young sailors, which has definitely been the case with us, the Snipe regatta schedule is again prominent on the priority list. During the Junior Worlds Qualifier in Annapolis in June 2014, it was an awesome sight to see a pack of young Snipe sailors competing hard and having a great time getting to know each other.

As a bystander in this renewed family Snipe fervor – and maybe it’s just nostalgia of the aging – I was getting, frankly, a bit jealous. Not just about the sailing but about the opportunity to enjoy the sailing and my family together. So that got me thinking, why not give it a try and see how it goes throughout the summer. I was (and to a certain extent, still am) scared to hurt my back, but I’ d never know if I could do it or not if I didn’t try. It’s been just about a year now with our local SSA regattas/invitationals Colonial Cup and Frigid Digit, North Americans in Boston, and most recently the DonQ. I’m certainly not hiking as hard, but that’s what’s great about the Snipe, it’s not just about physical ability. And you can always find a younger crew to do the hiking for you!

2014 Women’s Nationals in Boston.

Over this past year, it has been fantastic to sail again with Lisa, watch Lexi develop into a great Snipe crew and reconnect with many old – and new – Snipe friends. One thing I have found is that while I am a bit rusty (mentally and physically), it’s like riding a bike, “the sensations” of how it feels to be racing in and socializing around Snipes, come back quickly. I started to notice this especially after the North Americans and the Frigid Digit last summer; and, this past weekend at the DonQ really capped it off. Maybe it was the contrast of the warm sun and beautiful sailing on Biscayne Bay after a cold winter, but I really feel like I am finally waking up after a long winter’s nap. And of course we have a current double entendre boat name that reflects this for both Lisa and me (for you Elton John fans) – The Bitch is Back. And it is good, no, great to be back.